I am new rider (never had a bike as a kid and got my first bike 18 months ago - Avail advanced - had never even ridden a bike with gears and still terrified on clipless!!) Loved it at first and then after a few close calls with cars lost my nerve for a while - back on now but really feel like I should wear L plates!

I have entered Bris to Gold Coast ride as an incentive to keep going and toughen upMy only previous big group ride was the Moreton Bay 100 (only did 50km route). Managed Ok and have practiced on more hills but as based on Sunshine Coast I tend to wimp out and the only 'real' hill I do is around Point Arkwright and my husband says that does not count! Have done a couple of short rides (30km) with local group and know the rules of safe riding in groups and do my best to stay straight and out of the way of the good guys.

I ride 10 to 20 km every day, sometimes get to do 40km but am not at all fast with my average only around 22km.

I have entered in the 20-25 kmph group but am now really worried I should drop down to the under 20km because I will probably be rubbish on any hills. I have no idea what a 4% hill would be like to ride - any local examples that I could practice on would be great..

If anyone can offer advice on what to expect on the ride I would be extremely grateful - I am over 50, and very conscious that it is very uncool to over estimate one's capabilities and get in the way of other people -Doing my best to follow the 99 bikes fitness program but still worried - thanks so much in advance - fiona

lots of things going through my head.1. ride as much as you can2. ride hard 1 day, easy the next3. remember to hydrate and eat4. listen to your body. stop if you need to5. relax and enjoy the day

i did it last year and i was commuting 3 days a week (around 40kms return) and I comfortably did the 25-30km/h groupon longer rides, especially with closed roads, it's easier to get into a rhythm - 100km with a bit of planning and training will be more than possible for you

make sure you get in a couple of 70-80km rides before the dayignore the average speed, just do what you can do

Fiona! 22kph average speed sounds pretty damn good to me!!! Stick to the 20-25k group and I will do my best to keep up with you.

Don't drop down. The GC route is very flat and smooth, and it will be easy to keep a good pace.

I have ridden on and off my whole life, but put on a bunch of weight in my 30's that I am now trying to lose again in my 40's. I have been riding distances and regularly since this time last year, and I am happy when I do a 20+kph ride. Then I did a ride from Brisbane city up to Bribie Island (70k) and hit an average speed of 24kph due to the long smooth hills and road.

I say go for it and you will be right.

Definitely try and do a couple of longer rides beforehand to show yourself you are good for it.

I had one of my mates take me on the samford to mt mee loop (100km) and I survived just fine. I was the worlds slowest hill climber that day, but we still averaged 17.7 kph over the entire distance.

Hope to see you on the ride... Just look for the dude who is really slow up hills and wave to me as you go by..,

Loving my Merida's and working towards adding a Pinarello to the stable... Go go go...

Thanks so much - I feel better after such nice thoughtful responses - I was so worried that it would be way too much for someone at my stage of riding.

I will be on a purple and black giant and I have a big pink L plate that I am putting on the bike - say hi as you wizz past - 3 of my 4 daughters plus husband are going to ride as well - so hopefully one of them will stay with me.

- thanks again for kind advice to a nervous nellie -

will try and get as many miles in as I can without going silly - am going to get dropped off up the coast this weekend and will ride home - that will be 50km and will try to ride to Noosa and back next week- I think that will be 70 odd kms from Twin Waters -

I will forget about the speed and just try and enjoy it for the challenge and thrill of hopefully making it all the way.

If you can increase a couple of your rides to the 50-60k distance then you should be fine for the 100k to the Coast, there is really only the 1 climb which is not too bad and it's early on in the ride while still on the Busway.From Mt Gravatt it's undulating through Logan and the back of Yatala then flat through the cane fields...then it's a bit lumpy through Ormeau to Dreamworld, after that it's flat through to the finish line.

All of the speed demons will be long gone by the time your group leaves Southbank, so most of the riders that you'll be riding with will be people like you who are keen to complete the ride and not worring about 'smashing it' to the coast....

These mass participation events have a great vibe and that helps with the motivation to keep going.

fionahills wrote:I have entered in the 20-25 kmph group but am now really worried I should drop down to the under 20km because I will probably be rubbish on any hills. I have no idea what a 4% hill would be like to ride - any local examples that I could practice on would be great.

Since you are living on the Sunshine Coast, an excellent example of a consistent and moderate grade would be Gyndler Drive just off the Cooroy-Noosa Road at Tewantin. This is part of the Noosa Triathlon course and is very popular with cyclists, runners and walkers all for the same reasons. But don't expect to ride up it at 20-25kph (at least not without practice).

Fiona, to affirm what everyone is saying, the B2GC is very flat. The busway has a couple of rises, where you might slow down a tad, but nothing nasty at all. It is probably the best road ride to do for a newbie, as there's a lot of riders in it, and the 2 rest stops are well organized. Sometimes it's a good idea to get in with a bunch who are doing around the same pace, and ride together. Otherwise, don't be afraid of moving from one group to another or going solo for a while. SOmeone else always comes along you can ride with.

Try and get a 50-75km ride in at least a week beforehand. That should give you a good idea of how you'll feel on the 100km.

Get a couple of moderately firm massages in the week leading up, focusing on your quads, hams, and calfs. The day beforeCarb load mainly at lunch (2 extra cups of rice, pasta) the previous day and a little less so at dinner (1 extra cups).Pay particular attention to pre-hydrating as soon as you wake up - around 750-1000mls electrolyte between waking and starting. Eat a normal sized breaky before a ride. 1 cup porridge or cooked rice, with milk, and 3-4 prunes or dates or 1 banana is all I have.After starting the ride:Drink around 400-600mls/hour of sugared electrolyte - 1 litre of cordial with 1/3-1/2 tspn (2-3 grams) of salt suffices.Eat around around 150 Calories/hr on top of electrolyte = a piece of fruit or muesli bar +/- 10-20 grams of lollies.Keep drinking and eating after you finish until you urine is normal lightness again (chardonnay color).

Thank you all so much for your advice - very much appreciated - I love that people are so encouraging in this sport - no wonder it is so addictive.

Another question if that is OK - should I use the clipless on the B2GC ride - I am riding in clipless - terrified but hanging in there, I love the ride with them on but still hate stopping - nothing elegant about me coming to a halt and am worried that a lack of confidence on my part could cause accidents because of the numbers of people -

I am riding at least 5 days a week and trying for 6, doing a minimum of 25 or 30 kms. Not getting faster but feeling better every ride and my legs sometimes feel really great - does not last much over 10 km but when I started I thought riding a total of 6 kms in one go was a great effort!

Did 85 kms over the weekend - twin waters to peregian, back to maroochydore and then home to twin waters - that was about 60 kms and then on the sunday a normal 25km -

Will try to do 40 or so every riding day now and then try for at least one 80km ride ( in one go) on the weekend.

- starving hungry with riding every day so trying to eat more good food and not 'reward' myself too much!!!

thanks for tip about the 'hilly ride', I will give it a go and let you know the results - I get to and from Peregian now without getting off the bike - the hills out of Coolum used to defeat me utterly - pathetic I know!!! But slowly, and by giving myself a big pep talk I get up and going down is so much fun - scary but fun.

all four of my daughters are now riding with me - have told them that I am taking this very seriously and getting tips from a great bunch of people -

I'm a new cyclist (as my Strava data below shows), I've been doing this for a total of 3 rides since being cleared from a running injury. I reckon I'm 75% of the way to being fully comfortable with clipping in and out.

Fiona, I'd encourage you to back off from doing 40k a day. Try doing 50km 2-3x/wk, and maybe 70-80 on one day/wk. So 3 days a week off the bike doing other stuff. Walking, swimming, resting, stretching, calisthenics for strength.

As to clipless....hmmm. difficult to determine without seeing you. Some cleats are harder to getout of than others. I'd suggest you practice practice practice......like 100 in and outs over an hour riding up and down your local streets....include hills. If you don't feel comfy, then do the ride with joggers. You might be a bit slower but you won't get your feet caught in a crowd that is slowing. It is so easy to break a wrist or scaphoid bone. BE PATIENT. Using cleats is a combo of pre-empting when to de-cleat and experience at cleating in cleanly.

REMEMBER ALWAYS...........SAFETY FIRST

Last edited by PawPaw on Tue Sep 18, 2012 8:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

In your speed category there will be plenty of other riders of similar ability with regard to riding and experience with clip less pedals.All the speed focused riders will leave first in the faster categories and they tend to have less patience with slower/ less confident riders.You will find that you won't have to unclip as often as you would on a regular ride as the police tend to wave the riders through most of the busier intersections.

Just practice heaps of clipping in and clipping out between now and then... There is plenty of time still to get used to them. I think you would enjoy the ride more if you do go clip less over that distance; helps you call on more of your muscle groups... I have used cleats for 20 years and even now I get the odd crazy miss cleat that leaves me shaking my head.

That said, each to their own, and if you don't feel right on the Friday or Saturday before, then go old style...

None of us in that 20-25 kph range are playing for sheep stations, so just relax and enjoy.

Loving my Merida's and working towards adding a Pinarello to the stable... Go go go...

rode the redland bay ride on sunday - all good - but finished at 40km as my youngest daughter was finding it a bit much - only 3rd ride on a road bike - and has not ridden much at all -

went to the Gyndier Drive ride today - great spot - got to the top - slowly but surely and spun to keep cadence up - not up to repeats just yet but did go back to 3rd turn, rolled down - back up to 5th and rolled down - same tomorrow but aim for extra repeats.

grateful for all your help - our numbers came through - 6 of us riding 3 in the 9500 and three in the 9800s.

Who is online

About the Australian Cycling Forums

The largest cycling discussion forum in Australia for all things bike; from new riders to seasoned bike nuts, the Australian Cycling Forums are a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.